Brazil’s Luiz Felipe Scolari plans for World Cup final with Argentina

The Brazil coach, Luiz Felipe Scolari, said he has to ensure the hosts reach the World Cup final. Photograph: Buda Mendes/Getty Images

The Brazil coach, Luiz Felipe Scolari, has predicted that Argentina will be the most likely opponents – if the hosts can make it all the way to the World Cup final.

“From our analysis, the final we see happening is Brazil on one side and Argentina on the other,” Scolari said at the team’s training camp outside Rio de Janeiro. “Hopefully that will be the final. It would be a South American final, with great players, a lot of quality.”

The rivals cannot meet at least until the semi-finals. If both teams finish first in their groups they can only face each other in the final at the Maracanã Stadium. “I don’t want to see Argentina being eliminated in the first round or the second round,” Scolari added. “I want to see Argentina playing its football as usual.”

The coach, who led Brazil to glory in the 2002 tournament, was quick to remind everyone that his main concern is about his team.

“I have to get Brazil to the final,” he said. “After that, whichever team gets there, it won’t really matter. I have to make sure my team is in the final.”

Brazil and Argentina have faced each other four times in World Cups. The only Argentinian victory came in the round of 16 at the 1990 World Cup in Italy, when Diego Maradona and Claudio Caniggia were the inspiration behind a 1-0 triumph.

Brazil won 2-1 in the second round in 1974 and 3-1 in the second round in 1982. The rivals drew 0-0 in the second round in 1978, when the Argentinians hosted and won the tournament.